David Stouffer was stunned by the commotion Friday as he entered Blue Wahoos Stadium.
A bullhorn blaring. His family wondering. People smiling. An announcement waiting.
“I had no idea what was going on,” he said, laughing. “I was just going with it.”
It was part of a ceremonious welcome for the Blue Wahoos’ four-millionth fan through the ballpark’s main gates. Stouffer was greeted by Tim Mulroy, the Blue Wahoos corporate sales executive and on-field emcee during home games.
Stouffer and his wife, Maria, who reside in Pompano Beach, located just north of Fort Lauderdale, were joined by his daughter, Holly, who lives in Pensacola. They are all baseball fans and Miami Marlins supporters.
Months earlier, David and Maria purchased tickets to attend the Blue Wahoos game against the Montgomery Biscuits and visit their daughter, who is expecting her first child.
They had no idea what this night out would become. The family was honored on the field. David Stouffer then was presented an authentic Blue Wahoos game jersey with “4 Million” on the back. He then tossed out a ceremonial first pitch.
“This is our fifth time in Pensacola to see our daughter and every time we come here, we go to a game,” David Stouffer said. “I am a baseball nut. I’m a die-hard Marlins fan, so I know a lot of details about (Blue Wahoos), the ballpark. I’ve seen players come through here and now play for the Marlins.”
Stouffer attended games both times the Marlins played and won the World Series in 1997 and 2003. He cheered for the Marlins’ Jeff Conine when he became a franchise legend and now roots for his son Griffin Conine, who set several Blue Wahoos slugging records before joining the Marlins lineup,
He’s followed former Blue Wahoos’ star pitchers Max Meyer and Eury Perez on their path through Pensacola and into the Marlins starting rotation. Same with catcher Joe Mack, who wowed Blue Wahoos fans in 2024 and is now a big part of the Marlins’ future.
“It’s so much fun,” he said. “I have been to so many baseball games. I’ve got some foul balls, too. I remember catching a couple foul balls at Joe Robbie Stadium (the Marlins' former home ballpark and now Hard Rock Stadium). When you caught a ball (in those earlier years), you filled a certificate with the game, the date, the player who hit the ball and then you kept the ball.
“I’ve been so lucky with baseball games. When my daughter (Holly) was eight or nine, she drew a picture of the (famous) Honus Wagner baseball card. She won the Marlins contest and they had us down on the field (at Joe Robbie Stadium) before a game. I have been bringing my kids to games there were little.”
For the past several years, he’s been to Blue Wahoos Stadium and enjoyed the waterfront setting on Pensacola Bay and the Gulf waters in the distance.
“It beautiful. It's top notch,” he said. “Just a phenomenal experience for the kids and family. The view is surreal.”
The Blue Wahoos reached the 4-million attendance milestone in their 14th season. To do so, the ballclub has averaged more than 285,000 fans per season.
Stouffer said he understands how it’s happened so quickly.
“The promotions (Blue Wahoos) do, how everyone greets the fans and treats them so well," Stouffer said. "And then, really, the food here I think is incredible. I am not used to eating specialty foods like the ones offered here. That’s impressive at any level.
“(Blue Wahoos) have won a lot of awards. It’s impressive. As soon as the Marlins became an affiliate, we wanted to learn the history. I’m just a big baseball fan.”